Earth's Greatest Magus

"Your time is up!"

The abrupt words jolted Shinta out of her intense focus, and a wave of irritation washed over her. It had been a while since she had engaged in such profound spirit training, especially in this newfound pursuit of mastering the darkness element. Yet, despite her eagerness to continue, she was abruptly halted as her allotted time in the origin stone room reached its limit.

Over the past ten days, Shinta has dedicated a total of 64 hours of her privilege's time to her training. Additionally, she had spent her initial 10,000 contribution points to secure an extra 20 hours of training. However, all of that time had now been exhausted, leaving her with no choice but to reluctantly depart from the room.

Exhaling deeply, Shinta couldn't help but lament her predicament. "I need more contribution points," she muttered to herself, keenly aware of the limitations imposed by her current situation.

Her initial impulse was to try to coax some pocket allowance out of her newfound family, but she quickly dismissed the idea. She knew that the lower hall had limited resources, and any assistance she might receive would be minimal at best. With a resigned shake of her head, she resolved to return to her own hall, knowing that she would need to find another solution to acquire the resources she needed.

She embarked on another journey aboard a water crane, soaring through the skies towards her destination—the majestic mountain peak that housed one of the ten prestigious halls.

As she ascended higher, the landscape transformed, with white clouds stretching out like a vast sea beneath her, the vibrant blue sky serving as a canopy overhead. Remarkably, even in the midst of daylight, the twinkling stars could be seen, adding to the enchanting beauty of the surroundings. It was a breathtaking sight, imbued with a palpable richness of spirit energy, making it an ideal location for intensive training.

Unlike the lower hall, which had a shared landing port situated downhill for the flying animals, the top hall boasted its own special landing area. This space was expansive, spanning at least ten times the size of the lower hall and covering an area of over a few miles.

Dotted across this vast expanse were three distinct large structures, each serving a specific purpose within the hall's infrastructure. Surrounding these buildings were fifty small private chambers, allocated for each acolyte, offering them a semblance of privacy and personal space.

This arrangement starkly contrasted with the facilities of the lower halls, highlighting the privileged status enjoyed by those who belonged to the top hall.

Each hall within the academy operated under its own set of rules and management protocols. In the case of Hall 7, acolytes were segregated into three distinct training halls.

The central hall, where the main instructor resided, catered to the top five strongest acolytes, fostering an environment of intense training and competition. Meanwhile, the right-wing building accommodated the next tier of talent, comprising the top 20 acolytes. Finally, the left wing was designated for the remaining 30 acolytes, offering a space for them to hone their skills and progress at their own pace.

Following the law of the jungle principle, rankings within the hall were subject to rapid fluctuations, with positions changing as soon as one acolyte defeated another in a duel. However, formal advancements into higher buildings were only permitted in a structured setting held once a month.

Despite this dynamic environment, Shinta, who had been absent from hall activities for the past ten days, remained in the bottom rank.Consequently, her return went largely unnoticed by her peers, except for one familiar face.

"Sister Shura, you are here?!" exclaimed Nimbus, the cat half-

blood, her surprise evident.

"You've come at the right time!"

Without waiting for Shinta to respond, Nimbus eagerly pulled her into the part of the hall where a group of over twenty acolytes had gathered, along with the two assistant magus in charge of the left wing. One was a female wolf magus named Beatrice, brought to the hall by the main instructor Lucius, while the other was a male bird magus named Seth, seemingly a dependable assistant of the previous head instructor Sinured.

With a quick glance, Shinta took in the scene unfolding before her. It was an area where a intense battle was underway. One of the first years, Kehinde, the legendary wolf bloodline, was locked in combat with senior acolytes. Shinta recalled that Kehinde was the acolyte who had been offered the same option to join Hall 120 as she had.

The young Mystic wolf was already in his wolf transformation, his white fur adorned with multiple glowing runes that showcased his rank 9 prowess. He fought with intensity against a senior acolyte, whom Nimbus identified as the hall's 25th rank, a red-skinned tiger bloodline acolyte.

The intensity of the fight was palpable, as Shinta observed from the sidelines. She could see the other five first-year wolves cheering for Kehinde, their voices echoing through the hall as they rallied behind their fellow pack members. Kehinde seemed to thrive on their support, earning their acknowledgment as the leader of the first-year wolf pack. However, as the minutes passed, the young wolf began to falter under the relentless pressure, and the tide of the battle started to turn against him.

Shinta couldn't help but feel a strange empathy for these wolf acolytes, a connection perhaps influenced by her own wolf bloodline. She watched with a heavy heart as Kehinde battled valiantly, his determination evident despite the mounting odds against him.

With each clash of claws and teeth, the outcome of the duel seemed increasingly inevitable. Finally, after two dozen more exchanges, Kehinde succumbed to defeat, collapsing to the ground in a pool of blood.

It was a devastating loss, his body battered and bruised from the intensity of the battle. Yet, amidst the grim scene, Shinta observed that such displays of violence were not uncommon in this half-blood hall. Apart from the wolf pack, the other acolytes observing the fight seemed to revel in the spectacle, their eyes alight with excitement at the display of power and skill.

Unfortunately, the previous exhilarating performance was marred by the victorious tiger half-blood, who began shouting derogatory remarks. "As I said, these dogs! They don't belong here!" His disparaging words didn't stop there; he went on to insult the other first-years, labeling them as weaklings who were only accepted to fill the slots.

The words ignited a fiery rage among the first-years in the room, their anger palpable as they bristled at the insults hurled their way.